Chimney cap



H. H. MATHIS May 21, 1968 CHIMNEY CAP Filed Oct. 24, 1966 INVENTOR.

H/LL h. M47603 United States Patent 3,384,001 CHIMNEY CAP Hill H. Mathis, Mile One Glacier Iii-Way, Juneau, Alaska 99801 Filed Oct. 24, 1966, Ser. No. 588,890 6 Claims. (Cl. 98-58) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A chimney cap having an adjustable sleeve open at both ends, for fitting about a chimney. A first baflle supported on the sleeve overlies one of the ends, while a second bafile circumferentially spans the edge of the first baflle and is spaced from the sleeve. An adjustable deflector is mounted on the sleeve end and thereby defines a restricting air passage therebetween.

This invention relates to chimney caps and, more specifically, the invention pertains to a deflecting device for preventing rain, snow and airborne debris from entering the upper open end of a chimney pipe, and to prevent or substantially eliminate undesirable down-drafts therethrough.

One of the primary objects of this invention is to provide a chimney cap as an attachment for standing conventional chimney pipes or as a factory installation, and wherein the device includes first baffle means to span the open upper end of a chimney pipe to prevent entry of rain and snow as well as second battle means disposed in circumscribing laterally spaced relation relative to the first-mentioned baflie means, the second baffle means serving to prevent wind and rain or snow from blowing beneath the first bafi'le means, and barrier means surrounding the chimney pipe and extending laterally therefrom in vertically spaced relation below the open end thereof, the barrier means being adjustable relative to the pipe to permit the user some adjustment to compensate for varying conditions of updraft.

Another object of this invention is to provide apparatus or a device of the type described supra, wherein the device may be quickly and easily installed with but the use of a conventional screwdriver, and in which is incorporated means affording connection to guy wires to lend stability to chimney pipe structures.

This invention contemplates, as still another object thereof, the provision of a chimney cap which is noncomplex in construction and assembly, inexpensive to manufacture and maintain, and which is rugged and durable in use.

Other and further objects and advantages of the instant invention will become more manifest irom a consideration of the following specification when read in conjunction with the annexed drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a chimney pipe constructed in accordance with this invention and installed on a conventional chimney pipe;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the chimney cap shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a detail vertical transverse cross-sectional view being taken substantially on the vertical plane of 3,384,001 Patented May 21, 1968 ice line 3-3 of FIGURE 2, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIGURE 4 is a detail cross-sectional view, FIGURE 4 being taken substantially on the horizontal plane of line 4-4 of FIGURE 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, reference numeral 10 designates, in general, a chimney cap constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention. As is shown therein, the chimney cap 10 is seen to comprise an elongated substantially hollow axially split flexible cylindrical sleeve 12 having juxtaposed convoluted end portions .14, 16 pivotally connected together substantially centrally of their opposed ends by means of a pivot pin or rivet 18. The lower end portion of the sleeve 12 is adapted to be slidably and loosely fitted over the open upper end of a chimney pipe indicated by reference numeral 20, and the lower terminal ends of the convoluted or overlapped end portions 14, 16 are cut and punched to provide a pair of substantially circumferentially spaced laterally and outwardly projecting confronting ears 22, 24, respectively, the latter being suitably apertured to receive a headed draw-screw 26 therethrough. Looseness in the fitting between the sleeve 12 and chimney pipe 20 is taken up by take-up nut 28 carried on the headed screw 26.

It is to be understood that in the fitting of the sleeve 12 over the chimney pipe 20, the overlapped portions between the pivot pin 18 and the ears 22, 24 are pivoted slightly about the pivot pin 18 away from one another to enlarge the sleeve opening at this end thereof while reducing the diameter of the opening at the other end of the sleeve 12. The enlarged end may be easily slid over the upper end of the chimney pipe 29 after which the nut 28 is tightened to draw the sleeve 12 into concentric relationship relative to the chimney pipe 20. As this action takes place, the lower open end of the sleeve 12 contracts about the pipe 20 While its opposed open upper end enlarges to serve a function to be described, and this function also involves the use of the corrugations 30 formed on the sleeve 12 and which extend inwardly from the open upper end thereof and terminate at a point intermediate the pivot pin 18 and the aforementioned open upper end of the sleeve 12. The corrugations may take the form of cylindrical congruent members or may extend alon only diametrically opposed arcuate portions of the sleeve as is shown in FIGURES 3 and 4.

Reference numerals 32 each denote identically con structed support brackets circumferentially spaced about the sleeve 12, each bracket having a substantially S-shaped configuration. Each support bracket 32 includes a pair of laterally spaced upright upper and lower flats 34, 36, respectively, having their respective adjacent ends con nected by a laterally extending bight 38. Each fiat is formed with a plurality of transversely extending apertures 40 (a pair thereof being shown in FIGURE 3), of which the apertures of the flat 36 are adapted for alignment with apertures 42 formed in the sleeve 12, and the aligned apertures receive rivets 44 therethrough to fixedly connect the support brackets 32 on the sleeve 12.

The flats 34, 36, at their respective upper and lower ends, terminate in upwardly and downwardly diverging arms 46, 48, of which the arms 48 are formed with a transversely extending opening (see FIGURE 3) each of which is adapted to receive and have one end of a guy wire 52 secured therein (see FIGURE 1), the other ends of the guy wires being suitably anchored to the roof of the building (not shown) or other types of suitable anchorage.

The arms 4-6 extend radially and inwardly towards the the open upper end of the sleeve 12 and are interposed between the base ends of a pair of vertically spaced coaxially aligned identically constructed side walls 54 of a pair of hollow frusto-conical baflle plates 56. Each baffle plate 56 includes a top wall 5'8 disposed in the plane of the frustum, and as is seen in FIGURE 3, the side and top walls 54, 58, respectively, of the bafiie plates 56 are parallel, and the adjacent sides of the side walls 54 of the pair of baflie plates 5% engage, respectively, against the upper and lower sides of the arms .6 to which they are rigidly clamped as by rivets 50.

Reference numeral 62 designates a second baffle means which comprises a vertically elongated hollow cylindrical wall 64 which may be corrugated intermediate its ends as at 66, and its opposed upper and lower ends may be rolled as at 68, 7ft, all to lend rigidity to the structure in accordance with conventional practices.

The cylindrical side wall 62 is of such internal diameter as to closely circumscribe and engage the outer sides of the flats 34 and is provided with openings (not shown) adapted for alignment with the openings 4t}, all of which receive rivets 72 therethrough to effect a rigid connection of the cylindrical side wall 62 to the flats 34.

At this point, it should be observed that the cylindrical baflle means 62 is coaxially disposed with respect to the frusto-conical baflle plates 5'6 and is in circumferentially spaced relation relative to the base ends thereof.

Air deflector means comprising a relatively thin annular plate 74 is mounted for adjustment on the open upper end of the chimney pipe 20, the inner cylindrical opening 76 thereof (see FIGURE 4) receiving the chimney pipe therethrough.

The deflector plate 74 is, of course, mounted over the open upper end of the sleeve 12 while the nut 28 is backed away from its adjacent car 22 and while the corrugated upper end of the sleeve 12 is at its smaller diameter (as described above) as the sleeve 12 is being installed on the chimney pipe 20.

Upon tightening of the nut 28, the open upper end of the sleeve 12 expands causing the plate 74 to be engaged between a pair of chance selected corrugations 39 after which, if draft conditions so dictate, the nut 28 may be backed away from the ear 22, the upper end of the sleeve 12 compressed, and the plate 74 is then vertically adjusted to a preselected position whereupon the not 255 is retightened to cause a pair of the corrugations 3a to lock over the peripheral marginal edge of the plate '74- and to securely clamp the latter in its vertically adjusted position.

The frusto-conical baflie means 56 ported on the support brackets 32 so 58 are positioned slightly above the upper end of the cylindrical baffle means 62. in order to accentuate the evas or venturi effect when the device or apparatus 10 is exposed to a wind blowing substantially horizontally, and the spacing between the side and top walls, 54, 53, respectively, is utilized to provide internal air space to cool the surface thereof exposed to the weather.

The cylindrical bafile means (or windscreen) d2 taken together with the adjacent confronting peripheral edge of the annular deflector plate 74 defines therebetween an annular air restricting throat or air escape passage 78 which permits wind, rain and snow from blowing underneath the frusto-conical baffle means 56, and the cylindrical baffle means 62 also provides for the venturi effect or action when the device or apparatus is exposed to substantially horizontal wind conditions.

is preferably supthat the top walls Cit The deflector plate 74 constitutes a downdraft eliminator and is purposely constructed for vertical adjustment relative to the sleeve 12 in order to provide means to compensate for varying conditions of updraft. In use, the closer the plate 74 is moved vertically towards the adjacent one of the frusto-conical baffle means 56, the greater the venturi action is effected under vertical air draft conditions.

While the pivot pin or rivet 18 has been above described as having utility in connecting only the overlapped end portions 14, 16, the pin 18 may be, if desired, made of such length as to permite the same to be driven, screwed or otherwise fixedly connected to the chimney pipe 20.

It should now be obvious that the relationship between the frusto-conical baffle means 56, the cylindrical baflle means 62, and the deflector plate 74 is such that a horizontal wind, a vertical downdraft or vertical updraft, must pass at right angles to smoke exiting from the upper end of the chimney pipe 29 and creates a venturi suction effect. Horizontal wind will pass both above and below the cylindrical bafl'le means 62 and in so doing creates a venturi effect at the top and bottom ends thereof. A vertical downdraft or updraft passing through the restricting throat 78 creates a venturi effect at the edges of the frustoconical baffle means 56, and the combination of all of the venturi effects above described will produce a draft in the chimney pipe 20 under all conditions of wind pressure.

Further, the adjustable feature of the deflector plate 74 permits the user to adjust the same to compensate for vertical draft conditions experienced in a given locality. By providing adjustment to these means, vertical drafts are prevented from causing too large a variation in the chimney draft.

Having described and illustrated one embodiment of this invention in detail, it will be understood that the same is offered merely by way of example, and that this invention is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An article of manufacture comprising a chimney cap for a chimney or chimney pipe, said chimney cap including an elongated substantially hollow cylindrical sleeve having a pair of opposed open ends, first baffle means extending transversely across and having a pcripheral edge disposed beyond one of said ends of said sleeve, means connecting said first baflle means on said sleeve and supporting said first bafile means on said sleeve in axially spaced relation relative to said one end of said sleeve, second baffle means mounted on said connecting means, said second baffle means spanning in circumferentially spaced relation said peripheral edge and said one end of said sleeve and having opposed remotely disposed portions thereof projecting therebeyond, adjustment means on said sleeve contiguous to said one end of said sleeve, and deflector means mounted on said adjustment means and projecting laterally therefrom whereby said deflector means can be moved axially of said sleeve for controlling vertical air draft conditons, said deflector means having an outer peripheral edge disposed in inwardly spaced and confronting relation relative to said second baflle means to define a restricting air passage throat therebetween.

2. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 1 wherein said sleeve includes a pair of overlapping end portions, means pivotally connecting together said overlapped end portions of said sleeve and means on said sleeve operable to adjust the position of said end portions relative to one another whereby said deflector means can be adjusted when said end portions are in one position of adjustment and whereby said sleeve is clamped on said chimney pipe in another position of adjustment.

3. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 2 wherein said second baflie means comprises an elongated hollow cylindrical wall and said deflector means comrises an annular plate.

4. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 3 wherein said adjustment means on said one end of said sleeve comprises a plurality of outwardly projecting corrugations formed on said sleeve contiguous to said one end and engageable with the peripheral marginal edge of the opening formed in said annular plate.

5. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 1 wherein said connecting means comprises a plurality of brackets circumferentially spaced around said sleeve, and wherein each of said brackets includes a pair of flats offset with respect to one another, and means connecting respectively, one of said flats with said cylindrical wall and the other of said flats with said sleeve.

6. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 2 wherein said means for drawing together said overlapped end portions of said sleeve comprise an ear projecting laterally from each of said end portions, said ears being juxtaposed relative to one another, and means engaging said ears to exert converging forces thereon.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,394,735 10/1921 Jordan 9866 XR 1,542,740 6/1925 Spillman 9866 1,589,581 6/1926 Young et al 98-84 2,439,353 4/1948 Wiseman 98-84 2,470,623 5/ 1949 Kice 98 66 2,563,710 8/1951 Epstein 98-66 2,822,744 2/ 1958 Epstein 9884 2,963,955 12/1960 Artis et al 98-84 OTHER REFERENCES 15 relied upon. Copy available in Group 345.

ROBERT A. OLEARY, Primaly Examiner.

M. A. ANTONAKAS, Assistant Examiner. 

